Smart Talks

About Smart Talks

Join kidnapping survivor Elizabeth Smart and Elizabeth Smart Foundation Executive Director, Heather Stockdale as they speak with therapists, survivors, and experts as they share stories of empowerment, recovery, and hope. If you or someone you know has ever experienced the horrors of sexual assault, then this podcast is for you!

Publisher

Elizabeth Smart Foundation

Category

education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

16 Apr 2020

Latest episode

1 Dec 2025

Latest episodes

8 of 91 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   1 Dec 2025TRANSCRIPT

   Season 5 Wrap Up!

   In this finale episode, Elizabeth Smart and Heather Stockdale provide a reflective recap of Season 5, exploring the complexities of grief and the challenges of supporting those who are mourning. They examine the shortcomings of common responses to loss and emphasize the importance of education in understanding survivor disclosures. Their conversation highlights the critical role of empathy and informed communication when navigating trauma. From all of us at the Elizabeth Smart Foundatio...

2. 

   24 Nov 2025TRANSCRIPT

   Healing from the Inside Out: A Powerful Conversation with Dr. Gabor Maté

   In this insightful conversation, Dr. Gabor Maté delves into the deep and lasting impact of trauma, explaining that trauma is not defined by what happens to us, but by the inner wounds those experiences leave behind. He unpacks the complexities of healing, the significance of memory, and the essential role of personal responsibility in recovery. Dr. Maté introduces compassionate inquiry—a practice of exploring one’s pain with openness rather than judgment—as a powerful pathway to healing. He e...

3. 

   17 Nov 2025TRANSCRIPT

   Speaking Out for Survivors: Summer Willis’ Fight for Reform

   Survivor, Advocate, and Athlete Summer Willis reflects on her powerful journey of reclaiming strength in the aftermath of trauma. She opens up about how her experience has shaped her life, why telling her story matters, and what drives her to push for legal reforms that better protect and support survivors. Her dialogue underscores not only her own resilience but also the courage of others who have faced similar challenges, highlighting the transformative role of community in the healing proc...

Inside a recent episode

Season 5 Wrap Up!

Published 1 Dec 2025 · Transcript excerpt

[…] But also like you give me so much credit, which is so nice of you. I appreciate that so much, but also like, I feel like we, I owe, we owe so much to like all of the people who show up day in and day out who are not in the spotlight, but who show up for survivors, the people who work in victim advocacy centers, you know, the forensic interview, interviewers, the forensic nurses, the therapists, the friends, the family who, are trying to be trauma-informed, who are trying to build that safe place for victims to land, to be able to share their stories and feel like they are loved and supported. So, I mean, for me, as kind as your words are to me, I feel like this is really an effort that everyone needs to take on and help build a better world. […]

Who has been a guest on Smart Talks

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Dr Daniel Amen
• Taryn Evans
• Dr John Foubert
• Jana Kramer
• Jessica Willis Fisher

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

18,911

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.9 / 5

170 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 52 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

46

Social presence

0

YouTube

76

Engagement

67

Contact Smart Talks

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

Shows with a similar audience

• 

  The Survivor Files with Elizabeth Smart

• 

  Mama Mystery with Kelly Evans

• 

  The Miracle Files

• 

  All In

• 

  Follow Him: A Come, Follow Me Podcast

• 

  Crime Junkie

Questions about Smart Talks